Can parport be used in a applet?

Question

I have been trying to get parport to read and write in an applet but have had no success. It works fine at the command line but when used in the applet it stops my applet program when it comes to executing the read function.
My first idea was keep the parport read and write codes completely seperate from the applet in their own class file and then call the class file to be run. Is this at all possible?
I have posted the code to see if i can make this clearer
import parport.ParallelPort;
class SimpleIO {
public static void main ( String []args )
ParallelPort lpt1 = new ParallelPort(0x378); // 0x378 is normally the base address for the LPT1 port
int aByte;
aByte = lpt1.read(); // read a byte from the port's STATUS pins
System.out.println("Input from parallel port: " + aByte);
aByte = aByte >> 2; // a simple and irrelevant operation
lpt1.write(aByte); // write a byte to the port's DATA pins
System.out.println("Output to port: " + aByte);
//////////////This code above will be kept in its own java file called SIMPLEIO.java////////
I then want to call and run this code from my applet java file. After some experimenting i think i have found out that you need the
public static void main ( String []args ) line in the parport code in order for it work properly. What code would i use to call and run this code from the applet file
Thx for reading my long post and thx to all who try and help me out

Answer 1

My first idea was keep the parport read and write codes completely seperate from the applet in their
own class file and then call the class file to be run. Is this at all possible?No. The problem is that applets run in what's called a sandbox which prevents them, and any classes called from them, from doing any local IO.
This is essential for security, since a web page can run an applet without the user knowing about it, and it could get up to all kinds of mischief.
You can digitally sign the applet, which will then ask the user for permission to run with reduced restrictions. A quick search of java/sun should turn up some instructions.